Improvement in spark-extinguishers for engines



A. SMITH &' 1. HELMKEEY.

Spark-Extinguishers for Steam-Engines.

N0.l58,006, Patented Dec.22,\874.

Vfi/nes'sesr Inveniar.

ITED STATES PATENT ()rrron.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPARK-EXTINGUISHERS FOR ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,006, dated December 22, 1874; application filed October 13, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ANDREW SMITH and J A0013 HELMKEE, of Bellevue, in the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and Improved Spark-Extinguisher for Steam-Engines; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and complete description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyiu g drawing, making part of the same.

The object of this invention is to extinguish the sparks issuing from the smoke-stack of a steamengine used as a power for a thrashing-machine, thereby preventing the straw and other combustible material from taking fire, thus rendering the steam-engine safe in its application to this branch of industry.

The use of a steam-engine instead of horsepowerfor driving thrashing-machines has long been felt a matter to be greatly desired, and in a few instances steam-power has been so used; but in view of the danger of the sparks issuing from the furnace-stack setting fire to i the straw, chaff, &c., the engine has not been employed to any considerable extent for this purpose. To render the engine safe in this particular is the purpose of my invention, and which I accomplish by extinguishing the sparks immediately on their leaving the stack, so that none escape therefrom in an incandescent state.

To effect the above extinguishment of the sparks, we conduct the smoke, sparks, cinders, &c., from the stack into a reservoir, A, through a conductor or pipe, B, attached to the stack by the flanged end A. The size of said reservoir will be according to the size of the engine, and the pipe of an equal capacity of the stack for conducting the smoke. To

the outer end of the pipe the reservoir is suspended by the links 0, as shown in the drawing. The top of the reservoir is covered by a cap of perforated sheet metal or wire-gauze, D, closely surrounding the pipe. In the reservoir is put some four or six pails of water. The depth of the reservoir is such as to leave a considerable space above the water, into which the smoke and sparks are exhausted. The sparks, by their weight, fall into the wa ter, and are thereby extinguished, while the smoke passes off through the perforated top free of sparks and cinders, which are left behind in the reservoir.

By suspending the reservoir A to the inverted end of the shown in the drawing, thereservoir may be removed from the pipe for cleansing purposes, and to empty the water. The curved pipe, being placed on the top of an ordinary smokestack, can at any time be removed when the reservoir may not be required.

It is found by experience that the reservoir offers no serious obstruction to the draft of the stack, as the space above the water is large, and the wide perforated surface of the top permits a free escape of the smoke, while the sparks are screened therefrom and left in the bottom of the reservoir.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The removable reservoir A, provided with perforated cover D, suspended by links 0 to the inverted end of a smoke-pipe, all in combination, substantially as for the purpose set forth.

ANDREW SMITH. JACOB HELMKEE. Witnesses: P. N. SCHUYLER,

E. 0. KING.

smoke-pipe by links, as- 

